Just four months ago Bink's Midtown didn't exist. The cozy bistro at 24th street and Osborn used to be the French Sophie's Bistro, but after James Beard Award Finalist Kevin Binkley bought the central Phoenix location, the restaurant has turned from serving French to American cuisine.
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Unlike Binkley's high-end, original spot, Binkley's restaurant, Bink's offers a less sophisticated, yet no less enjoyable atmosphere. As always when it comes to Kevin Binkley, there's a strong emphasis on the creative use of local produce.
While fruits and vegetables can be tasty and such, I didn't come to Bink's for green beans; I came, as I usually do, for the burger. Specifically here, the bacon burger.
Bink's bacon burger is served with some sharp cheddar cheese, spicy pickles, lettuce, and a smoked caramelized onion mayo.
The Patty: 9 If it's a bacon burger, why is there no mention of bacon on the toppings? Because the bacon is GROUND right into the beef. While most restaurants will just throw a few strips of bacon on top, this burger creates the ultimate experience for bacon-lovers. Bink's has the audacious creativity to combine bacon with ground chuck to form an explosion of tender and savory flavors. The bacon is swirled throughout the beef, giving the patty a hint of crunchy texture. The patty, flavored with a variety of spices, was a little small, but I suppose you can't win 'em all. The Toppings: 8 Bink's chose to complement the burger base with a mix of soft, yet agreeable tastes. Melted on top of the bacon burger is a slice of sharp cheddar, giving the burger some intensity. Just above the cheddar lies a bed of dark green lettuce. Then, there are the sweet pickles, which are sprinkled with little flakes of red chili to give the burger an extra kick. And last but not least, spread evenly across the bun is the smoked caramelized onion mayo that provides the burger with another sweet taste to match the savory burger blend.
The Bun: 8 Encasing the bacon burger and its toppings is a fluffy onion roll. With an onion mayo already on the burger, I was a little worried that the burger would turn into a collage of onion flavors. Instead, the onion roll proved helpful, with its softness and hint of a more savory onion flavor.
The Side: 3 Now, we get to the disappointing part. When first brought out, the chips looked stunning: thin and fried a light yellow, with just a little potato skin left around the edges. But their taste didn't compare with their presentation. The chips were too salty and quite greasy, and, frankly, Lay's would be a little disappointed at such an attempt at a potato chip.
Price: 8 The price varies depending which time of the day you go. During lunch hours (11:00-2:30) the burger is a little expensive at $12, but if you go during happy hour (2:30-6:00), the bacon burger is an astonishingly low $8. Eight dollars for this burger is a steal and a half, and for that price I don't mind shelling out the extra $2 for French fries. If they would only keep the price at $8 all the time, this might be one the best deals in town.
Overall: 7.2
Just about everything about this burger is good besides the side, although I hear they make their French fries Belgian style, which means twice fried. Despite the many good things about Bink's burger, there is only one thing need to know: THERE IS BACON IN THE PATTY.
What are you waiting for?
